Summer in Miami
by ColtLady
Summary: Future Fic. The Bass and Archibald children spend the summer in the beach house their parents rented for them. Tensions rise as relationships change and are broken.
1. The Beginning of the Summer

A/N: This story focuses on the children of Chuck/Blair and Nate/Serena.

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Victoria Eleanor Bass was no stranger to gawking stares. Her walk from the Bass jet to the waiting limo was no different. The crew members from the other planes turned and looked, the limo driver seemed to straighten up as she approached. Victoria barely spared him a look as she slid into the limo.

Victoria pulled her cell phone out of her new Chanel bag. She dialed her mother's private office line. Blair answered on the second ring.

"You landed okay baby?" Blair asked. She always worried about Victoria flying alone.

"Yeah mom. I'm in the limo." Victoria replied checking her makeup and hair with her compact.

"Is everyone already at the house?" Blair asked. She, Chuck, Serena, and Nate had rented the kids a beach house in Miami to celebrate Victoria and Brock's high school graduation. The older kids had only decided to join after much parental cajoling. Chuck didn't want Victoria and Brock alone in the beach house for three months.

"Conner's flying in tomorrow but everyone else should be there." Victoria replied as she reapplied her lip gloss. "I'll call you tomorrow night, okay? Love you mom give dad a kiss for me." Blair sighed knowing the conversation was over and deciding it wasn't worth risking a fight to keep it going.

Victoria checked her appearance on last time and moved to the window as her thoughts turned to Brock. They had barely seen each other since their reunion and subsequent break up two years ago. Things were too complicated, they were too far apart. Seeing him again for an entire summer would only make things worse, end them for good.

Her phone rang and she saw Audrey flash across the screen. She hesitated before answering it. Things with her older sister were tense, always had been. Victoria always felt left out and this manifested itself in tantrums, tattletaleing, and arguments. Rhett and Audrey were always together and there was no room for her.

"Hey Aud. What's up?" Victoria asked.

"Did you land?" Audrey was short and sharp, she always was.

"Yes, I'm on my way."

"Okay. Bye." Audrey hung up without another word. She rarely wasted words, especially for her younger sister.

Victoria settled into the seat and tried to enjoy the rest of the ride before the tension of a summer spent with her ex-boyfriend, her shrew of a sister, her shady brother, and two people she barely knew despite knowing them her whole life began.

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Conner Montgomery Archibald loved flying. He loved looking out the window as the clouds and the world moved below him. When he was younger he'd wanted to join the Air Force pilot but instead he had realized the greater dream of college sports. He was hoping to be a starter for Stanford next year on the basketball team. This summer he had to focus on getting in tiptop form before a grueling season.

Conner settled into his seat and prepared for landing. Unlike the Bass children it had taken little convincing for him to agree to join the group in the Miami house. Any excuse to be closer to Audrey Bass was enough for him.

On the limo ride to the beach house Conner imagined how his summer would go. Audrey would be cold at first but over the course of the next few months he would wear her down. Give her flowers, treat her to dinner. He had done extensive research on the Miami area and knew exactly where to take a girl like Audrey. He would be 21 in two weeks and Miami wouldn't know what hit them.

The house loomed ahead and it was gorgeous. His parents and the Basses had no doubt spent a mint renting it for three months. It was white and right on the beach. There were huge windows offering an ocean view and a private gated entrance.

The driver left him at the door with his luggage and Conner stepped over the threshold towards what would no doubt be the best summer of his life.

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Audrey Misty Bass and her twin brother Rhett Bartholomew Bass were contemplating how they had ended up spending their entire summer in a beach house. Their contemplation was silent but both instinctively knew what the other was thinking. Much like Chuck and Blair it was as if Rhett and Audrey could read each other's minds. They could say more in one look then most could say in a three page letter. It was why they were able to neutralize any social climbing enemies within minutes.

"There must be a way to make this more interesting Audy." Rhett said breaking the silence. "Maybe some bimbos." Audrey wrinkled her nose at her brother.

"You'd be bored in two minutes flat." She replied knowing it was true. Rhett, like Chuck, could get any girl he wanted and was easily bored with the ones he got. "I'm sure we could create some fun right here." Rhett's smirk matched her own as a plan began to form.

"Brock and Tori are broken up still?" Audrey asked him. Rhett seemed to know everything about everyone, always two steps ahead.

"It appears so." Rhett replied. "Perhaps you could put the moves on him?"

"Ugh!" Audrey wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I was thinking less seduction and more whispering." Rhett's dark eyes lit up just like their father's when he discovered how to destroy a business rival.

"You mean he said, she said." He was positively beaming. "Sister you have out done yourself. But do you suppose it would be frowned upon to mess with our own baby sister?" Audrey and Victoria were in constant competition. Rhett preferred to watch from the sidelines so he knew that Audrey was in.

"Never stopped us before. Remember the Sparks ingrate?" Rhett smiled at the memory.

"How shall we proceed?" He leaned in as Audrey began to detail her plan.

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Tabitha Archibald squealed when she saw her older brother arrive. She had barely seen him all year and was over joyed to be spending the summer with him. She had idolized him since a very young age and the hero worship had only grown as the years went on. Nate had spent most of her childhood at the office as his company expanded rapidly so Conner had become her stand in father figure even though they were barely two years apart.

"Conner!" She exclaimed jumping into his arms for a big bear hug. "I'm so glad your here. Won't this be awesome! Three whole months! Can you believe this house!" Tabitha continued to chatter as she led Conner into the house.

"Is Audrey here?" Conner asked after Tabitha showed him to his room. Right next to hers.

"I think she and Rhett are by the pool. Brock went for a run like an hour ago and Victoria is off sulking on the beach or something." Tabitha could care less where everyone else was she just wanted to spend time with her big brother.

"I think I might go for a swim." Conner said absently as he tried to remember where his suit was packed. Tabitha's face fell.

"I was hoping we could go take in the city. There's..." She trailed off as Conner moved to the adjoining bathroom to change.

"Maybe tomorrow Tabs." He said emerging clad in his swimsuit. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and left to join Audrey at the pool.

Tabitha went to her room and sat on the bed. She contemplated joining them at the pool but was not in the mood for Audrey and Rhett. They defined Upper East Side snobbery. She was part Vanderbilt, Archibald, and Van der Woodsen but that wasn't enough for them. She was a California girl not a blue blood that lived in a penthouse and went to Bendel's.

Tabitha sighed and decided that maybe Victoria would prove to be better company. She grabbed a book and a towel and headed down to the beach.

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Brock Eric Archibald tried to clear his head as he ran. It was something he had learned from his father. A good run will always work, gets the cobwebs out. Last night had been tense at best and things weren't looking to get any better. Victoria was colder then usual and had barely looked at him. Too many things were left unsaid between them and there was too much history to just let each other go.

He had asked her to marry him when they were five. He had given her a ring that he had found in Serena's jewelry box. It was one that CeCe had given her for her tenth birthday and Serena had forgotten it existed until she saw it on the finger of Victoria Bass. She had let the girl keep it but explained to Brock that marriage proposals needed to wait until one was ready. Five was definitely too young.

Tabitha had chattered all through dinner about everything she and Conner were going to do when he arrived. Brock had tried to get her to shut up but nothing worked when Tabitha got going. Audrey and Rhett had decided to eat outside to avoid the noise.

He honestly didn't know what his parents were thinking when they rented the beach house for them. They had all been friends of sorts when they were little in the way that all little kids play together but they were far from close. Audrey and Rhett were aloof and condescending on a good day. They would no doubt be stirring up trouble before the day was over. Conner would spend his entire summer on the endless quest to get Audrey Bass to notice him while Tabitha sulked because she wanted nothing more then to spend time with her big brother. Brock had no idea how he and Victoria would fit into the mix.

Brock slowed as he neared the beach in front of the house his sister and Victoria were sunning themselves and he stopped to admire Victoria's bikini clad body. Tabitha noticed him and waved him over, ever oblivious to the elephant in the room.

"Brock! Conner's here! How was your run?" Tabitha was off a mile a minute. Victoria was staring everywhere but at him.

"Where is the basketball star?" Brock asked somewhat mockingly. Conner was hardly his favorite person, the haughtiness other's excused because of his natural athleticism always managed to get to his younger brother.

"The pool with the twins." Tabitha replied somewhat sullenly. Brock knew Tabitha had waited weeks for the chance to spend time with Conner, she never dealt well with disappointment.

"You wanna go see the sights?" Brock asked her and she brightened instantly. Tabitha may be his older sister but he always seemed to be taking care of her. No liked to se Tabitha sad least of all her baby brother.

"Yeah! Victoria do you want to come?" She asked pulling on her tank top and shorts over her bathing suit.

"No, You two go ahead." Victoria waved them away still ignoring Brock.

Tabitha wrapped her hand around Brock's arm and began to tell him about everything she wanted to see. It would no doubt be a long afternoon.

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A/N: So I introduced these characters in the last chapter of It's Always Been You. I liked them and wanted to see if I could make a story about them. Let me know what you think, suggestions for storylines, and if I should continue the story. Reviews are always loved!


	2. Things are Bound to get Awkward

A/N: Thank you, thank you to everyone who reviewed, alerted, etc. All of the support for this story has definitely inspired me to keep writing it.

Sorry it took me so long to update. I struggled with this chapter a little because it was mostly set up.

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Conner was watching Audrey from behind the glass door wall. She was stunning. Her swimsuit was a one piece cutout that enhanced her slender figure. Her dark hair was pulled back into an orderly bun with soft tendrils framing the soft features of her face. His favorite part of her was her eyes. They were slightly slanted and dark, they made her look exotic and mysterious. He could feel his heart being to race just watching her.

"Take a picture it'll last longer." A voice said behind him, making Conner jump. Rhett sauntered up next to him and motioned towards Audrey. "See something you like?"

Conner and Rhett were far from friends. Even as children they had barely tolerated one another. Rhett was more arrogant than Chuck Bass, Conner was more haughty and aloof than CeCe Rhodes. The combination did not lead to comradery and togetherness.

"I know that you like my sister, Archibald." Rhett stated simply. "Perhaps I could be of some service in that department."

"Why would you want to help me Rhett? It's not as if you like me or anything." CeCe Rhodes would have been proud of the look her great-grandson sent in the older boy's direction.

"You may be right but it might also be the only chance you have." Rhett sipped his scotch as Conner contemplated this. Rhett should have been a fisherman he knew how to reel in a fish.

"I'll give you a chance." Conner agreed, deciding that perhaps Rhett could be of use. "Tell me how to I get her to agree to go out with me?" Rhett smiled, a smirk Conner had seen his Uncle Chuck give many times.

"Simple, you flatter her."

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Brock had been trying to talk to Victoria since she arrived. Six days he had been trying, six days she had ducked him at every turn. Finally he spotted her on the beach, alone, and decided this would be his chance.

As he approached her he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked with her nose buried in a book. She was a beautiful mix of her mother and her father. Her facial features were those of her father, sharp angles and hard edges but her eyes were Blair's. They were large and soft. Brock loved her eyes more then anything, they said her every emotion. When her mouth was telling him the ugly truth, her eyes let him know it was a lie.

"Hey Tori, how's the book?" He asked approaching. She looked up and her eyes widened.

"Good." Victoria pushed her bookmark into place and made room for him on her blanket. Brock slid next to her, enjoying the way she smelled like vanilla and spice. It was an intoxicating combination. "Brock, why do we have to do this again? We can't keep fighting for something that isn't there."

"Tori, you know it's still there. Otherwise you wouldn't have been hiding from me." Victoria flinched but looked away from him. Brock liked to deal in truths, it was something he had learned from his Uncle Eric. "Why did you lie to me?"

"I didn't, we've been over this." Victoria still wouldn't look at him, only proving what he already knew. She was lying.

"Tori, please." He was interrupted by his phone ringing. It was his mother.

"Answer it. I have to go." Victoria rose before he could argue and he answered the phone with a sigh.

"Hi mom."

"How's Miami?" Serena was barely containing her excitement. It was her idea to rent the beach house. She wanted Brock and Victoria to have another chance, Tabitha to do something besides cook alone all summer, and Conner to finally realize that he and Audrey would never happen. She always wanted what was best for her children.

"Hot."

"How are you brother and sister? Are you guys getting along okay? How's Victoria? Did you talk to her?" Brock shook his head and smiled. His mother always asked too many questions too fast when she was excited.

"Conner and Tabitha are fine. Tab and I went out the other night, Conner is Conner. Tori is difficult, I tried but she's being Tori." He heard his mother sigh.

"Oh baby, she'll come around. It only took your dad like ten years." Brock laughed when he heard his father yell in the background.

"Keep your chin up, I love you. Make sure Tabitha has fun okay."

"Love you mom, tell dad I said hi. Bye." Brock hung up the phone and started to figure out a new plan to talk to Victoria.

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Tabitha loved to cook. It was solitary and creative. She had always wanted to be an artist but her drawing ability was lacking. Food was her new canvas. Tonight she was making her speciality she called in Tabi Chick.

"Dinner is served." She announced with a smile. Audrey wrinkled her nose, Rhett threw back some scotch, Brock dove in hungrily, Victoria offered her a small smile, and Conner barely noticed.

"Okay so I think we should toast." Tabitha announced. "To an exciting summer together!" She raised her glass in excitement. Everyone else followed suit in a less enthusiastic manner.

"So Victoria where are you going to school in the fall?" Tabitha asked after several minutes of uncomfortable silence.

"Dartmouth." Victoria replied between tiny bites of her chicken. Tabitha's mouth fell open.

"Seriously! That's where Brock is going!" Tabitha began chattering excitedly. "Did you know our grandfather went there. Daddy was supposed to go there but he wanted to live in California so he went to USC after a year at Columbia." Tabitha didn't notice the terrified look on Victoria's face as she continued. Her mother always said that Tabitha lived in her own world.

"You're going to Dartmouth." Victoria blundered out staring at Brock.

Tabitha smiled to herself. She knew that they were both going to Dartmouth long before they did and she hoped this little piece of information would get them talking again.

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Audrey was bored out of her mind. Every attempt at coaxing Victoria and Brock together, thus leading to an epic fight had failed. Without the drama she thrived on Audrey was growing more annoyed by the minute. Rhett hadn't been any help since he was always off with some model or another. She had been left to her own devices and this never made for anything interesting.

"Hey Audrey, enjoying the sun?" Conner asked approaching her. Normally she would ignore him or dismiss him with a simple wave of her hand but she figured that talking to Conner was better then being bored.

"I suppose. Cheaper then buying a spray on anyways." She absently flipped through the magazine on her lap.

"Well I think you look great. Your tan really accentuates your eyes." Conner was not used to flattering girls to get them interested in him. Typically they were complimenting him. Audrey gave him a slightly quizzical look but decided that a comment that her eyes were too dark to be accentuated by much of anything would only make him try harder.

"I hear there are some really great restaurants here in Miami." Audrey gave him a non chalant indication that she was interested. "Rhett mentioned that you really like seafood and Nemo is supposed to be one of the best." Audrey made a mental note to thank her twin later.

"That could be nice." She said figuring that at least she could get a free meal out of it. "Except I didn't bring anything to wear on a date or anything." And maybe a new outfit.

"Well we could go shopping if you like." Conner offered his head spinning once she said the word date.

"That would be so sweet of you. Let me just go put on something less revealing." Audrey said getting up and gliding into the house. She stopped to offer Conner a smile. Maybe this vacation wouldn't be so boring after all.

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Victoria loved to read. Her father always teased that she was the embodiment of Blair's nerd tendencies. Her mother was always the perfect student and Victoria had put her mother to shame with her study habits. When she was little books had been her means of escape from a lonely childhood. Her parents were attentive and loving, she was the apple of her father's eye. Her siblings were another matter entirely. They would pretend to involve in whatever game they were playing only to ultimately blame her for something getting broken or to embaress her. Eventually she stopped trying to play with them.

Now here she was with her nose buried in a book, on the beach, on a scorching hot day, on vacation in Miami. It really was a rather nerdy thing to do. She heard someone approaching her and hoped that it wasn't Brock again. Dinner last night had only made things worse and she really didn't want to talk about it.

"Victoria! Mind if I join you?" Instead it was Tabitha. Victoria motioned for her to sit and welcomed the company. Tabitha was easy to talk to, or rather listen to since she had apparently inherited Serena's ability to talk non-stop.

"What are you reading?" Tabitha asked slathering on sunscreen.

"_Wuthering Heights_. It's my favorite." Victoria had discovered it when she was ten and had worn through five copies since then. For her twelfth birthday her father had bought her a first edition and it was her most cherished possession.

"I could never get past the whole cousin-love-marriage thing." Tabitha replied. "I mean was there no one else available?" Victoria looked up in shock. Tabitha quickly continued. "It is a great love story though. Like your parents or mine."

Victoria sighed she knew where this was going. Brock had often joked that if they were to get married that it would be the end of the great love stories of Chuck and Blair and Nate and Serena. The final connection needed to unite the Non-Judging Breakfast Club.

"Tabitha." Victoria's voice had a warning tone that most knew not to challenge. "I think our parents' love stories hardly compare to Heathcliff and Catherine." Tabitha just shrugged and pulled out a book of her own.

"Brock once said that you guys were epic." Tabitha said quietly.

"Epic is overrated." Victoria replied. "Epic means pain, suffering, heartache."

"They don't write stories about the ones that come easy." Tabitha said before engrossing herself in her book. Victoria wondered about the wisdom of that statement and wondered if perhaps that meant that all the pain was worth it.

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Rhett had ditched yet another model. He was starting to think that they were all the same. Boring, self-centered, and more interested in the billions he would one day inherit then in anything he had to say. Although he only went out with them because they were hot so maybe it was an even trade.

He heard music coming from the kitchen as entered the house. It was low but he could hear it. Rhett walked towards it's source, wondering who would be in the kitchen listening to music at 3 a.m.

As he rounded the corner he saw Tabitha dancing around the kitchen singing along, rather horribly, to Cobra Starship's "I Make Good Girls Go Bad". She was wearing boxer shorts and a t-shirt under an apron that proclaimed "Kiss the Cook" in red. He was perplexed by the site in front of him. She appeared to be baking something and was so engrossed in dancing, singing, and baking that she didn't notice him.

He studied her features as he moved closer. Tabitha would probably never be regarded as beautiful. She had inherited her father's sharp, chiseled features which made her look a little too harsh. Her hair was the same dark blonde color and was cropped in a short cut with layers sticking out in all directions. Her bangs always seemed to be in her eyes, which were a stunning blue. As Rhett drew closer he noticed how her sharp cheekbones accentuated the curve of her jaw and admired the way her small pink tongue was sticking out of the corner of her mouth.

"Rhett!" Tabitha exclaimed finally noticing him and turning five shades of crimson. "I thought you were out with that model." She quickly turned the music lower and smoothed out her apron.

"Yeah, she was a dud. Left her at the club." He moved to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a whiskey. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Baking. It's not my strong suit, so I like to practice at night when no one's around." She replied as if it was perfectly normal to be baking a cake at three a.m. "I'm making creme brulee. Do you want to try it?" Rhett nodded quickly and her grin widened.

They passed the next thirty minutes waiting for the oven timer to ding with Tabitha babbling excitedly about cooking school, her plans to open a catering business, and anything else that popped into her head. Rhett just watched in fascination that anyone could say that many words in so short a time. When the timer went off Tabitha jumped up and carefully removed her creation. She admired it and then left it to cool.

"It looks almost perfect!" She exclaimed excitedly. "Get two forks, we have to eat it while it's hot." Rhett grabbed the forks and handed her one. Tabitha sat on the counter next to the oven and Rhett stood a little in front of her. She slid her fork in but before she could take a bite looked at him, expectantly.

"You first, I can't. I'm too scared, the last one was horrible." She held the fork up to him and Rhett stepped closer to try it. He considered it for a second before commenting.

"Delicious, rich, not overpowering though." Tabitha's smile widened. "Here your turn." He offered her some with his fork and she slowly brought her mouth to it.

"It's so much better!" She was practically giddy and hugged Rhett close. "I nearly failed my pastry class but I'm re-taking it so I have to work on them." Rhett was taken aback by the sudden hug and didn't know what to do. His parents had hugged him when he was little but stopped once he hit puberty because he deemed them to be an invasion of personal space that he would rather avoid, even if they were his parents. Finally he tentatively wrapped his arms around her.

"You have to have some more!" Tabitha declared offering him another forkful. She slid it into his mouth for him and giggled. He offered her another bite and watched her soft lips slide over the fork. When the creme brulee was gone Tabitha slid off the counter to wash the dishes and removed her apron.

"Here dry them for me." Rhett paused at the towel she offered him. He was unaccustomed to drying dishes. They had several maids to take care of some tasks.

"I don't know how." He admitted, unsure as to why he had done so. Rhett Bass never ever admitted that he couldn't do something. Tabitha laughed.

"Just wipe the water off them." She said smiling, handing him a dish. Rhett quickly got the hang of it and the dishes were soon washed, dried, and put away.

"Thanks for you help." Tabitha told him once the dishes were done. She turned to go upstairs but paused, quickly returning to where he was standing. She seemed to study him with her pure blue eyes before softly kissing him.

Rhett was again surprised by the sudden gesture and it took him a minute to regain his trademark Bass cool. Before he could respond she was gone bounding up the stairs with a mischevious look thrown back at him.

Rhett poured another whiskey and puzzled over the strange girl that was Tabitha Archibald.

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A/N: Some quotes from the Tabitha/Victoria conversation were borrowed from Veronica Mars because Logan's speech was so beautiful.

Cobra Starship's "I Make Good Girls Go Bad" features Leighton Meester and is a pretty cool song so check it out.


	3. Threats, Presents, and Kisses

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews!!!

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It had been five days since their encounter in the kitchen and Rhett's head had been spinning ever since. He watched Tabitha flit around, always smiling, always laughing. She was enchanting.

"Are you in heat or something?" Audrey asked him, observing the way he seemed to watch Tabitha wherever she went.

"What?" Rhett asked coming out of his reverie.

"Puppy love? Summer fling? Heat?" Audrey replied barely glancing up from her magazine. "You know lusting? I thought you had enough models on speed dial to take care of that."

"As usual darling sister you are mistaken." Rhett replied, trying to play it off. Audrey was as observant as Blair, she already knew. Rhett's poker face was as good as Chuck's but Audrey could read him like a picture book.

Audrey rolled her eyes and continued reading her fashion magazine. "How are things with Conner? Have you decided to become some high class fashion slut now?" Rhett asked aiming to hit where it hurt.

"Conner is nice. If he wants to buy me a few nice things there's nothing wrong with it."

"So have you sealed the deal or is the Porsche being delivered next week so you're waiting." Audrey's dark eyes narrowed.

"No, not that it's any of your business. We're taking things slow because of my recent break up." Rhett snorted.

"With who? Your manicurist? You really are a piece of work, sis." Rhett sometimes wondered where his sister's appetite to use people came from. She was a manipulator of the worst kind and while he too loved a good scheme he knew where to draw the line, Audrey seemed to just want to cut the line and keep going.

"No I just know how to get what I want." She placed the magazine in her lap. "So, have you noticed how Vicky is avoiding Brock like the plague?" Audrey was trying to grasp at straws to change the subject and Rhett decided to bite.

"Yes, perhaps some unresolved feelings are still being harbored for the young Lothario." Audrey smiled.

"My thoughts exactly. What do you say we give them a little nudge?" Rhett nodded in agreement.

"They were rather adorable together."

"I'll make the arrangements. You talk to Vicky, I'll have Conner talk to Brock." Audrey said reaching for her phone.

"Getting your little plaything involved in our schemes now are you?" Rhett asked unable to resist one last dig.

"Would you rather we invite yours?" She shot back and Rhett glared before glancing at Tabitha and once more becoming lost in her graceful movements as she swam.

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Victoria was used to being alone. As a child she was always playing alone with her brother and sister played together. In school she had a few friends, being Queen B never interested her so she stuck to the shadows. Her mother teased her that she really was her father's daughter because he had always spent so much time sulking in the corner.

Needless to say she was surprised when Tabitha came bounding down the beach to sit with her.

"Hi!" Tabitha plopped down without any more introductions. Victoria was a little startled, Tabitha's exuberance was unexpected. "What are you working on?" She peered over Victoria's shoulder and her jaw dropped. "Those are amazing."

"They're just doodles." Victoria said trying to close her sketchbook as fast as possible. Tabitha was faster though. She grabbed the book and started thumbing through it. Victoria was seized by fear she never showed anyone her sketches, ever.

"You have real talent. Has Jenny or your mother seen these?" Tabitha asked. Victoria shook her head. "Why not these are real nice. I could see myself wearing almost all of them." Tabitha returned the book.

"I'm scared I guess." Victoria admitted shyly. "I showed grandmother my sketches once and she insulted them. Ripped them apart verbally." Tabitha nodded.

"Eleanor can be harsh. Don't let it hold you back. Aunt Blair would love them I'm sure." Tabitha gave her a reassuring smile. Victoria nodded silently.

"Do you want to go shopping with me later?" Victoria asked surprising herself.

"Yes!" Tabitha shrieked with excitement.

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"I like the black one." Conner said admiring the way the black dress accentuated Audrey's curves.

"I can't decided. The black one is very downtown but the other one is very summer in Miami. Don't you think?" Audrey batted her eyelashes at him.

"You can have both if you want." Conner said and she smiled triumphantly. Conner smiled happily as Audrey disappeared into the dressing room to change.

"$3,235." The sales associate told him and Conner handed her his brand new platinum Mastercard. Audrey beamed at him and he leaned in to give her a quick peak. She turned quickly and he ended up kissing her cheek.

"Thank you, Conner. These are so wonderful. I just wish I had shoes to go with them." Audrey looked up at him innocently.

"There's a shoe store up the street if you want to stop." He suggested and she beamed again.

_Later_

Conner was trying to chose the appropriate outfit for the dinner Tabitha had planned. His birthday had been yesterday and she wanted to celebrate in style. She was making some ridiculous dinner and a cake. His phone started ringing and he paused before answering it when DAD flashed across the screen. He took a deep breath before answering.

"Hey Dad."

"What the hell are you thinking?" Nate yelled into the phone. "$7,000 dollars Conner, $7,000! How do you spend $7,000 in two weeks."

"I have expenses father." Conner replied shortly. He was 21 now, no longer a child.

"Well if this continues I will freeze your trust fund." Nate threatened. The money had been set aside by him and Serena for the kids to use for school and starting out after college. Not for so called expenses.

"You can't do that." Conner replied threatening.

"Like hell I can. Learn to manage your money. Tell Brock and Tabitha hello." Nate continued. "Your birthday gift should be arriving today I hope it helps you understand why I'm stressing your finances."

"I can only hope." Conner shot back. "I have to get ready for dinner. Bye father."

"Love you." Nate said before hanging up. Conner threw his phone onto the bed and rolled his eyes. He would have to think of some other way to impress Audrey.

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Audrey admired her new dress in the mirror. She had decided to wear it to the little birthday celebration Conner had bought it for her after all.

"Alice + Olivia?" Victoria asked from the doorway. Audrey turned surprised to hear her sister's voice. Normally they ignored each other unless forced to interact. "The new summer line. Expensive."

"What do you want little sister?" Audrey asked already bored. She moved to her jewelry box searching for her favorite earrings.

"You need to stop using Conner." Victoria was blunt there was no reason to mince words. Her father had taught her that sometimes it was best to get to the point. Too many words diluted your meaning.

"What do you care Vicky?" Audrey asked her sister's name was practically a snarl. "Do you have a little crush?" Victoria snorted.

"Hardly, I just don't want to see you drain Conner's entire trust fund for your own selfish gain. Besides how long before he begins to notice?"

"Why should I refuse gifts? I can't help it that he wants to shower me with them." Audrey replied admiring her ensemble.

"I'm sure it was his idea to buy you a new dress." Victoria replied. Audrey just shrugged.

"We're going to be late for dinner Vicky." She tried to push past her sister but Victoria grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Audrey just be warned this game will blow up in your face and I'll be there. I might even light the fuse." With that Victoria turned and walked down the stairs.

Audrey laughed silently to herself. Victoria's concern for her ex's brother was cute but it wasn't as if the little girl was a threat. She was dealing with the master not to mention that the master had her wingman and Victoria was all by herself.

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Brock laughed as Rhett continued telling a story about when they were little and Conner had tried to get Aunt Blair to buy him Lucky Charms when they visited. She had refused but Dorota had been more then obliging. Aunt Blair had nearly fainted when she caught them practically inhaling the boxes.

"Mother wouldn't let us be in our rooms with the doors closed for months after that." Rhett said. "Not to mention Conner wasn't allowed anywhere near Dorota his charms would have been to much."

The doorbell rang interrupting and everyone rose to see who it was.

"Conner Archibald?" The delivery man asked.

"That's me." Conner said moving forward and signing. The delivery man handed him a set of keys and motioned to the driveway. Everyone crowded out and Tabitha squealed when she saw the brand new Jaguar XKR convertible in the driveway. It was deep red and beautiful.

Brock's jaw dropped. When they turned sixteen they had all been given a used car. Something straight off the lot that looked worse for wear. Now his brother was being handed the keys to a brand new $94,000 car.

Audrey pushed her way next to Conner and cooed over the new car. Brock rolled his eyes. She was laying it on thick and no doubt it would pay off. Conner was smiling and no doubt he was going to be rubbing his car in Brock's face in no time.

Brock's phone started ringing and he quickly answered it when he saw it was his mother.

"Brock! Did Conner get his gift!" Serena practically shrieked in his ear. Age and motherhood had done little to tone down her enthusiasm.

"Hi Mom, here I'll let you talk to him." He handed the phone to Conner and listened as his brother gave him some bullshit speech about how wonderful it was and how grateful he was. Brock practically laughed. Conner was never grateful to anyone but himself.

"Hang on let me talk to her." Brock said to his brother. Conner handed him the phone and then whisked Audrey towards the car for the first ride. Tabitha demanded to go next and Conner promised to be back soon to pick her up. Rhett and Victoria disappeared back into the house and Brock moved towards the beach.

"Hey Mom how's Dad?" Brock asked.

"Alright he's still mad at your brother and almost cancelled the car this afternoon. You know how he gets." Serena replied.

"Mad at him for what?" Brock asked wondering if he might finally have some leverage on the golden boy.

"Spending all his trust fund money." Serena answered. Brock smiled perfect.

"You mean the money he's been spending on Audrey?" He asked innocently.

"Audrey Bass?" The surprise in Serena's voice was evidence that his parents had assumed Conner was spending it one himself.

"One and the same."

"Nate's gonna explode." Serena sighed once again they were back to Conner's obsession with Audrey causing trouble. "I have to go talk to him. Tell Tabitha I love her. I love you baby. Call me in a couple days okay?"

"I will. Love you Mom." Brock hung up and smiled. After years of being ridiculed by his brother he was finally getting some pay back. It was rather sweet.

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Tabitha sat on the front steps absently playing with her hair and scribbling into a notebook. Conner had promised to come back and take her for a ride but that had been hours ago and he wasn't answering his phone.

"Mind if I join you?" Rhett asked, sick of sitting inside watching _Breakfast at Tiffany's _with Victoria and Brock in tense silence. Tabitha smiled at him and motioned for him to sit.

"I was just working on a new recipe to try." She told him closing the notebook. "He's not coming back anytime soon is he?" She asked somewhat dejectedly. Rhett was taken by surprise. People were rarely this open with their feelings at least in his experience.

"Audrey probably found some new club to drag him to and won't let him leave." Rhett told her thinking it might comfort her somewhat. "He'll take you tomorrow it'll be even better in the daytime with the wind and the sun." Tabitha nodded and smiled at him.

She had always thought of Rhett as handsome. He had some kind of old Hollywood movie star quality about him. He was charming and debonair. They had played together on rare occasions when they were little but once puberty hit Rhett and Audrey were always off plotting someone's downfall and he had little time for her.

"I suppose." She said looking down at her feet.

"Dinner was really good." Rhett tried to take her mind off her sadness and that was the only thing he could think of. "I liked the sauce you made very light and flavorful. You should be on Top Chef or something."

Tabitha laughed. "I love that show. I get a lot of my ideas from it." Rhett smiled.

"I watched some reruns on hulu last night and I thought of you." He confessed almost shyly. She had never known Rhett Bass to be shy and looked at him surprised. Her bangs once again falling over her eyes. He reached out a hand and tucked them back behind her ear.

"Rhett." She whispered as he leaned in closer his eyes glued to her lips. Their lips met softly, hesitantly at first. Then Tabitha leaned closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. Rhett's hands skimmed her sides before pushing against the small of her back to pull her closer. She opened her lips to deepen the kiss when the lights of Conner's car flashed over them and they quickly broke apart.

"Looks like he came back after all." Rhett said quickly before disappearing inside. Tabitha wiped her mouth and stood up, sure that Conner and Audrey had seen her making out with Rhett.

"Hey! Do I get to go for a spin now?" She asked her brother brightly.

"Oh, hey Tab I'm a little tired how about tomorrow?" He gave her a kiss on the forehead as he followed Audrey into the house.

Tabitha hung her head, disappointed but smiled as she remembered how electrifying it was kissing Rhett Bass.

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A/N: Not super thrilled with Brock's part but I wanted to make him more interesting. He seemed rather vanilla, in my opinion, in previous chapters so I wanted to show his devious side. Which he no doubt inherited from CeCe Rhodes herself!


	4. Trouble In Paradise

Rhett Bass did not have crushes. He might occasionally find a girl that peaked his otherwise mild interest but never, not once, had he had a crush on anyone.

That is until he was forced to spend the summer in a beach house in Miami with Tabitha Archibald.

Every time he saw her a grin spread across his face. Audrey would usually dissolve into helpless giggles and he would quickly go find something else to do or somewhere else to be. There was something unusual fluttering in his stomach and it was getting hard to sleep because he kept having dreams about her and him doing things that would make a lesser man blush. It was out of control.

So Rhett decided to go to a club, find some bimbo, and get his mind off a certain Archibald girl with bangs that were always falling across her beautiful blue eyes and long legs that seemed to go on for miles.

The girl he chose was a redhead with freckles and brown eyes. She was passably pretty not even close to Tabitha but she would work. Rhett bought her drinks and sweet talked her all night. She seemed to smell money on him so she pretended to be interested as he talked about New York and college. Things were going swimmingly.

That is until said leggy, blue eyed, bangs having Archibald girl showed up. Just as Rhett went in for the kill, a simple kiss, Tabitha was right there and she saw everything. Rhett was about to deliver his killer line "So, I was thinking maybe a night cap at my place?". Then he saw her.

The butterflies were on the warpath and he nearly spilled his drink trying to get up.

"Tabitha." He started as an explanation but it was too late she was gone. "Shit!" He yelled and ran after her. The redhead was left with a half drunken scotch and more then a little disappointment. Rhett Bass was an excellent kisser after all.

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"You're sure that it's okay if I drive?" Audrey asked batting her long black eyelashes at Conner.

"Definitely." He said getting lost in her dark brown eyes. He handed her the keys and she gave a triumphant smirk before skipping to the driver's side of the car and sliding in. She had only driven twice before in her life and still had her learner's permit. No one drove in New York, at least no one worth knowing. Still she had gotten her permit to show off for some boy from Vermont. The fling had lasted two months and then Audrey had promptly forgotten all about driving, until now of course.

"Treat her gently she's a Jag." Conner teased and Audrey gave her a sparkling smile.

"Of course, darling." She pressed the gas a little further towards the floor. The transition was smooth and she loved the feeling of the wind whipping through her hair.

"The curves on this road are pretty sharp so be sure to ease off the gas a little before going into them." Conner told her, beaming at her. Audrey just smiled as if she knew and pressed the gas just a little harder.

They flew down the highway towards the beach house. It was a warm night and the breeze was coming off the ocean. It was the perfect night for a fast drive in a convertible.

Audrey decided to take the long way home and Conner put his hand on her knee. Normally she would push it away lightly and then offer him a smile to soften the blow. This time she let it go figuring that a hand on the knee was a good trade for letting her drive his new car.

Suddenly the came to a sharp curve. Audrey tried to slow down but they were going to fast and before she knew what was happening Conner's brand new Jag was smashed against an Oak tree. The windshield had been smashed out and her arm was bleeding. Conner had a cut on his forehead and he was already calling 911.

"Conner, I'm so sorry." Audrey said putting on her sad face. Stupid car couldn't handle the curves.

"It's alright, accidents happen." He replied before giving the 911 operator their location and calling for a tow truck.

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"Tabitha." She looks up when she hears a soft knock on her door and Rhett's voice on the other side.

"Come in."

"Look I just wanted to..." He starts but she holds up her hand to stop him.

"You don't owe me an explanation. It's not like we're together or anything. It's summer you know things happen." She shrugged trying to play it off like the sight of Rhett's lips on some skank's didn't make her make her stomach turn. "So we kissed a couple times, it's not a big deal."

"Tabitha, it's not like that I just..." He was trailing off again. "I mean I thought that we...." Tabitha looked up expectantly hoping that he was feeling what she was feeling. The butterflies in her stomach were on overdrive. She leaned towards him ever so slightly.

"Can I take you out sometime?" Rhett finally managed to get out. Tabitha opened her mouth to respond when her younger brother burst through the door.

"Tabs! Oh um sorry." Brock seemed unsure of what to do when he saw Rhett standing in his sister's room. "Audrey and Conner were in an accident. They're okay but his car is totaled. Mom and dad are on their way here to talk to him." Tabitha jumped up.

"The new Jag is totaled?" She asked in disbelief. Brock nodded.

"Audrey was driving and she lost control and hit a tree."

"Audrey was driving?" Rhett asked confused. "She doesn't even have a license."

"Conner let her drive." Brock said shrugging. "Guess he didn't care." Tabitha just snorted in response she knew full well that one smile from Audrey Bass and Conner would give her whatever she wanted.

"Anyways, I'll let you two get back to whatever was going on before." Brock inclined his head towards Rhett and disappeared.

"So, my sister managed to total your brother's week old car." Rhett said trying to break the awkward silence that had descended over them.

"I didn't even get to ride in it." Tabitha replied pouting.

"I can rent you a car if you want to take a ride." Rhett offered, unsure of why he was suddenly so concerned about Tabitha getting what she wanted.

"A ride would be nice but a car might not be nessecary." She replied raising one eyebrow. For once Rhett was dumbstruck normally he was the one firing out the inneundos.

"Sounds nice." Rhett said before leaning down to kiss her. Tabitha wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her body into his.

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"I hope you're pleased with yourself." Victoria said when her sister walked in the door. Audrey had four stitches in her arm and a bruise forming under her left eye. She was far from pleased.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Audrey shot back, not really in the mood for her baby sister's backhand comments.

"You don't even have a license."

"So? It's Conner's car." Audrey pushed past Victoria and towards the stairs. All she wanted was a warm bath and some Aspirin.

"And now it's totaled." Victoria was sick and tired of Audrey using and abusing people. This was the last straw. "The car that his parents bought him for his 21st birthday is totaled because of you. I hope you can sleep tonight." Victoria practically spat the last sentence.

"I'll sleep fine once you shut up." Audrey replied narrowing her eyes. "Why don't you go draw some little designs or something. Maybe go talk to Brock, oh wait you can't do that anymore can you." At this point they had gathered an audience. Conner was standing in the foyer listening, Brock had just exited the shower and was standing on the landing to the staircase straining to her what the girls were saying. Tabitha and Rhett, who both looked rather mussed up, were craning to hear from behind the living room wall.

"And whose fault is that Audrey?" Victoria was usually Chuck Bass cool, very rarely did she lose her temper, but it seemed that is was time for a Blair Bass temper tantrum.

"Well Vicky I assume it was yours since I didn't see a blast on Gossip Girl about Brock hooking up with anyone else." Audrey sneered back.

"Brock's siblings know how to keep their indiscretions to themselves. So of course there was no Gossip Girl blast." Audrey's eyes narrowed until they were slits. Tabitha looked at Rhett expectantly trying to understand what Victoria meant but his face was a mask of indifference.

"And yours don't?" Audrey asked. "What did Rhett hook up with Tony Sparks and you're covering for him?" Victoria smirked, she never looked more like her father then when she smirked.

"No but as I recall you did. After one too many cocaine hits and he was what 16 at the time?" Audrey tried to laugh but Victoria just kept going. "And you were 21, that's a crime isn't it? A felony if I remember right and daddy couldn't buy you out of that one. You know how much Georgina hates mom. It would have been one for the ages. Audrey Bass bangs Anthony Sparks and gets locked up for it."

"That's a lie."

"No, it's not and you know it. I remember it so well. Please Victoria just tell them it was you. Tony won't say anything. I won't tell." Victoria turned around sharply. "Georgina will never let it go, it's not my fault that Tony has a big mouth. That's what you said remember. So I agreed because you looked so pathetic. And then what happened?"

Audrey tried to answer but Victoria was sick and tired of her excuses.

"Gossip Girl gets a tip from someone with the e-mail address cbandbw4ever, original sis I have to say, and then everyone thinks that I slept with Tony Sparks. Tony didn't tell because he's been shipped off to boarding school. Only one other possibility, you. My own sister."

"I didn't tell anyone." Audrey fought back.

"Stop lying to everyone Audrey. You used me just like you used Conner to get new clothes and to drive his car. I never should have helped you but I did because you're my sister and because of it I lost Brock." Victoria turned to leave but stopped.

"I"m sorry." Audrey said trying to save face.

"No, you're not." Victoria whispered before disappearing outside.

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Brock's head was reeling. When she had dumped him Victoria had said that she was with someone else. He had been hurt but had never believed it. Victoria Bass, like her father, when committed to someone was not a cheater. She took commitment very seriously and thus did not give it very freely. Brock had smelled a rat from the start.

He followed her out to the pool deck and sat down on the chair next to hers.

"That's why you broke up with me. Some blast on Gossip Girl." Brock said and she turned to face him.

"I didn't want you to think that I had cheated on you and then hid it." Victoria replied.

"Why not just tell me the truth?" Brock asked admiring the way the moonlight enhanced her pale skin and dark hair. "I could have handled it."

"Because there would have been that seed of doubt." She replied simply. "One little seed can kill everything around it. I've watched so many people be ripped apart by that seed I didn't want us to be fighting all the time."

"Why not tell me about Audrey?" Brock had to know why she didn't trust him.

"Would you ever believe that I had helped her?" It was an honest question Victoria despised her sister. Brock thought about for a second.

"Maybe not a first." He replied honestly. "Tori you could have just told me and we would have been okay." She shook her head.

"Do you remember when my parents took that break when we were 14?" Brock nodded. "Mom thought Dad had cheated on her. It was a simple text she had found on his phone and it planted that seed. Then the seed grew and killed everything. I didn't want that to be us."

"When I saw the blast I never thought it was true." Brock said reaching for her hand but she moved farther away.

"But then if there was another one about me being out late with some guy at a club you might have changed your mind. Breaking up was easier."

"Not for me." Brock knew that being a teenager in love was cliche and dramatic but he meant it. Victoria was someone he knew he would probably never get over.

"It was for me." She replied before standing up and walking back towards the house. "Brock, for what it's worth I'm sorry." He leaned back and looked at the stars, wondering why everything always seemed to go so wrong.

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Conner was sitting on the front steps waiting for Audrey when his parents pulled up. He tried to make a beeline for the house, knowing exactly what was coming next but they had already seen him.

"Son, perfect timing we were just about to go to lunch. Why don't you join us?" Nate asked grabbing Conner's shoulder and pushing him towards the taxi. This would not be good.

Once they had been seated and their orders taken his father made the face that let everyone know they were in deep shit.

"So you let an unlicensed person drive your brand new car and now it's lying in a junk yard somewhere because all it's good for is scrap. Does that sound about right?" Nate asked calmly sipping his water. Serena had been silent for the entire ride over and was now looking a little uncomfortable.

"I suppose." Conner replied uninterested.

"You suppose? Well what did I get wrong?" Nate asked Serena placed a calming hand over his. "Here's the bottom line Conner. The insurance will cover some of what the car cost but you will be earning the rest."

"Earning it? Like a job?" Conner wrinkled his nose in disgust. Summers in the Hamptons with Lily and CeCe or Anne had helped him avoid the summer job problem.

"Yes, a job." Nate replied. "I've already made the call. Your mother and I always tried to teach you and your siblings to understand the value of a dollar to have boundaries but apparently too many summers with your Grandmother have made you spoiled. You start tomorrow."

"Father I hardly think this is necessary just take the money out of my trust fund." Conner said wondering exactly what kind of work he would be doing. Surely an Archibald would not be forced to do remedial labor.

"Speaking of that your trust fund is frozen until further notice. Your grandmothers have been told not to try and get you out of this. You have to do this one on your own." Nate leveled a harsh stare at his son. "I'm not playing games son."

Conner lifted his chin into a glare CeCe Rhodes would have been proud of. "I'm 21 you can't tell me what to do."

"Actually we can." Serena spoke for the first time. "Your tuition payment has been put on hold until further notice. If you want to keep playing basketball and attending Stanford I suggest you figure out your priorities."

"Audrey will help me." Conner replied now turning his glare on his mother. Nate snorted.

"Don't count on that." Nate said. "Audrey is a wonderful girl, don't get me wrong. But she did inherit some of her parent's less then admirable qualities. Besides Chuck and Blair have already been informed about her little joy ride and I believe that she'll be getting a call soon enough about the status of her trust fund."

"Why doesn't she pay for the car? She was driving?" Conner was grasping for straws anything to get him out of actually working.

"Your Uncle Chuck offered but I refused. You should have known better then to let her drive. She's being punished too so don't start in on how it isn't fair." Serena replied. "What were you thinking Conner? Buying her all that stuff. You do realize that her parents are worth at least $2 billion. Her trust fund is double what yours was."

"I've heard enough." Conner got up. "If I have to degrade myself with some minimum wage employment fine but don't tell me how to live my life."

"Here's the name and address of the bar you'll be working at. Mario is the manager's name he said that he needed a dishwasher. Be there at eleven sharp tomorrow. Any trouble and Mario's got me on speed dial." Nate handed Conner a piece of paper. Conner turned and left without another word.

"Do you think we were too harsh?" Serena asked him as their oldest son walked away.

"Maybe we should have had him arrested." Nate teased kissing her nose. Serena rolled her eyes. "I think Conner needs a wake up call. He's too much like my mother, thinks that a little money and a family name can get him out of anything."

Conner looked at the piece of paper in his hand. Could things get any worse.

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A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and alerted. Not sure how happy I am with this chapter.


	5. First Dates and First Jobs

Tabitha was nervous. She'd been on dates before, of course, but this was with Rhett Bass. Not only had he once seen her eat playdoh and she's asked him about how Barbies had sex without their parts. He was devilishly handsome, charming, and dangerous. Tabitha always ran before her heart got broken but Rhett might break her heart before she could run. He could be the Nate to her Serena or the Chuck to her Blair.

She zipped up the brand new dress she had bought was perfect. It was cobalt blue, to bring out her eyes. The clusters of beaded trim on the bodice highlighted her nice chest. Tabitha smoothed her hair and tried to keep her bangs off her face but as usual they wouldn't stay.

There was a soft knock on her door and Rhett was there, leaning against the door frame.

"You're look ravishing." He said and Tabitha blushed.

"You look pretty good yourself." She said as she grabbed her black clutch and he led her out of the door with a hand on the small of her back.

He had chosen Fresco California Bistro. Which was known for it's Italian food with a California flair, it was perfect. They talked about old times when they were all young and innocent.

"Do you remember when Conner proposed to Audrey?" Tabitha asked giggling, Rhett had convinced her to order a martini and it was making her head spin more then he was.

"Yes, and she told him that she could only marry a man worth at least a million." Rhett smirked.

"Audrey has standards." He replied laughing.

They continued to talk throughout dinner. As a surprise he took her to a Cobra Starship concert. Tabitha kissed him excitedly when he told her and practically dragged him to their seats. He had learned all of their songs and they sang every song together. Rhett hated singing but for her he made an exception.

"Thank you." Tabitha said leaning against her door at the end of the night. "It was the best date I've ever been on." Rhett smiled, a genuine smile.

"Me too. So good night." He leaned in to kiss her but she moved forward too fast and their foreheads bumped into each other. "Ouch!" He said rubbing the growing red spot on his forehead.

"Sorry, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." Tabitha moved to look at his forehead and softly kissed the red mark.

Rhett leaned down and kissed her lips softly. "I had a wonderful evening." He said and moved down the hall to his room glancing back as he went. Tabitha slipped into her room and fell onto her bed. Her head was spinning and her heart was racing. It had nothing to do with the alcohol.

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Conner scowled. His so called uniform was disgusting. It had obviously been worn by numerous smelly under-privileged working class dishwashers. The pants had been purchased from Target, there was no way he would ever wear his designer pants to this garbage dump.

"At the end of the night the floors need to be mopped and the trash taken out." His new boss Mario told him. "I don't like bullshit and I don't tolerate tardiness. Your father will be getting weekly progress reports. I suggest you keep that in mind." Conner scowled.

He could barely believe that the great-grandson of CeCe Rhodes and William Vanderbilt was forced to work a minimum wage job. The grandson of Anne Archibald and Lily van der Woodsen. This was absolutely preposterous.

As the night went on things only got worse. He kept dropping plates and breaking them. They ran out of glasses and he got yelled at by some server with a fat ass. This was getting beyond demeaning. At the end of the night he punched out and quickly slid into the backseat of the taxi he had arranged to met him at the end of his shift.

As the taxi drove towards the beach house. Conner watched out the window. The bar was in a neighborhood that had seen better days. There were hookers standing a few street corners and no doubt drug deals going on in the dark alleys.

He saw the same fat ass waitress who had yelled at him earlier. Walking to the bus stop. There was a group of men following her and they seemed to have mischief on their minds. Conner turned as the taxi based. Not giving a second thought to the waitress or the men as the taxi began to cross into the nicer areas of Miami.

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Brock walked towards her cautiously. Victoria had gotten amazing at avoiding him, he was afraid that any sudden movements would cause her to run. She was beautiful, he had always thought that about her.

Her straight dark hair was up in a ponytail but soft wisps had escaped and they framed her face. Her dark bikini set off her pale skin. She always wore lots of sunscreen, he often wondered why she spent so much time laying in the sun.

"Tori. Can we talk?" Brock asked and she turned her head to look at him. Her eyes looked everywhere but his and he took a seat next to her.

"Brock there's nothing left to say. We broke up. Maybe it was a mistake and maybe it wasn't. The past is over, done. It's time to move on." Victoria told him still not meeting his eyes.

"Tori, you can't tell me that you don't feel anything for me. I know that there's still something there." Brock was practically begging. His eyes searching for hers.

"Maybe I do but what does it matter." She was more like her father then she cared to admit. Afraid of her emotions, more afraid of everyone else's.

"It matters to me." He took her hand in his and finally their eyes met. Like her mother Victoria's eyes told the whole story, the true story. They were full of pain and sadness and regret. "I love you Victoria Eleanor Bass."

Victoria stood up on shaky legs and she was gone. Brock laid back on the lounge chair. Well that hadn't gone very well.

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Audrey entered Rhett's room and took a seat on his bed. He nodded to her as he exited the bathroom.

"Sister." He greeted her while checking his appearance in the mirror.

"Going out with Tabitha again?" Audrey asked playing with the ascots he laid out on the bedspread.

"Yes, we're going to see a movie." Rhett replied admiring his reflection.

"A movie?" Audrey asked in disbelief she had never known her brother to enjoy movies. "Some romantic comedy? A love story that will leave her puddy in your hands." Audrey teased.

"No, a french movie she's been dying to see." Rhett was barely acknowledging her presence and it was irritating her.

"Is your plan to seal the deal before, during, or after the movie?" Audrey asked.

"Neither. We're going to the movies and then maybe dinner. I don't plan on moving too fast with her." Audrey snorted in response.

"Rhett what's happened to you? Normally it's love 'em and leave 'em not wine 'em and dine 'em." Audrey asked disinterested. She was annoyed that Rhett seemed so interested in taking out Tabitha Archibald. He'd barely had time to scheme with her in weeks and their plan to make Victoria's vacation non-stop drama between her and Brock had fallen through.

"I like her." Rhett replied simply and Audrey wrinkled her nose. She hated feelings, never once had she liked a boy at least not enough to date someone.

"That's cute bro. Are you guys going to hold hands?" She teased appalled at the idea.

"Maybe, she has small hands mine practically dwarf hers." He replied smiling at the memory of her tiny hand tucked into his.

"Please brother don't make me vomit." Audrey said as he adjusted his ascot.

"Audrey why don't you go bother someone else." Rhett said. "I've got to get ready for my date and I don't appreciated your mocking me and Tabitha."

"Well sorry I didn't realize that you'd developed a soft spot for the pixie." Audrey said rising.

"Sorry that I don't want to miserable like you for the rest of my life." Rhett called after her .

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Rhett took Tabitha's hand in his as the movie played. Her hand was so small and he cradled it in between both of his. He ran a finger along the back of her hand and she shivered a little next to him.

"Are you cold?" He asked leaning closer to her to breathe in her scent. She smelled like oranges, strawberries, and mint. A strange combination but on her it was heavenly.

"A little bit." She replied and he took of his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders. "Thank you." There was a light blush on her cheeks.

"Anything for you." He lightly pulled her bangs off her face and laughed silently as they simply fell right back. "You're beautiful." He whispered.

"You're not so bad yourself." She replied, snuggling closer to him and resting her head on his shoulder.

Rhett had never taken a girl to the movies before. He'd always assumed it would be miserable and boring but it was intoxicating. Having her so close in the dark while some french movie played in the background. His mother had taught them all how to speak fluent French when they were little so he understood the movie without having to read the subtitles. It gave him time to watch Tabitha. She giggled and gasped. She bit her lower lip at the suspenseful parts. He couldn't look away.

"Did you like the movie?" He asked as they got up to leave.

"Yes, thank you." She told him and kissed him. Rhett wrapped his arms around her and she smiled against his mouth.

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Victoria had run from Brock and found herself on the beach. She was standing with the waves rushing against her feet. There were tears streaming down her face. Her fears had ripped them apart before and now he had to go telling her that he loved her.

She quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed her father's direct line. It was a number only four people knew. Her, Blair, Rhett, and Audrey. Chuck bass was a hard man to reach and having one number for his children and wife ensured that he would be there when they needed him. She dialed the number and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Tori what's wrong?" Her father's voice brought a welcome calm over her.

"Daddy, I don't know what to do." She told him. "Brock he...he told me he loved me."

"That's wonderful baby." Chuck replied. "Isn't it?"

"I don't know." She replied quietly. "After everything before, I mean...how could he still love me?"

"You mean Tony?" Chuck asked and Victoria was puzzled for only a moment her father always seemed to know everything, especially what his children never wanted him to. "Sweetheart your mother forgave me for much worse and then it was true. You have to decide what's right for you. Do you love him?"

"I think so."

"Then follow your heart. I did." Chuck smiled at the memory. He had tried to escape his love for Blair and it had only followed him everywhere he went.

"I love you daddy." Victoria told him.

"I love you too baby."

"Kiss mom for me okay."

"I'll think about it." He replied and Victoria laughed before hanging up.

"Is she okay?" Blair asked looking up from her book. Her reading glasses perched on her nose.

"Young love, you remember how that was." Chuck replied smiling at her. Blair smiled at him nodding.

"Nothing but trouble as I recall." She teased lightly.

"Well, you always enjoyed causing a little trouble." He replied kissing her cheek softly.


	6. Necklaces and Video Games

Conner hated his job. He had never expected to like it but he hated it more and more every time he was forced to go there. Mario was harsh, the waitresses were mean, and all the other workers were rude and asinine.

"Do you know who I am?" Conner shouted at the fat ass waitress who seemed to think it was her job to make his life at work miserable.

"Should I give a shit?" She spat back.

"I'm a goddamn Vanderbilt. They practically founded this country." Conner shouted back and she looked at him with disdain.

"I believe that was George Washington and I barely graduated." She replied before rolling her eyes and leaving.

"Conner!" Mario shouted from where he had been watching the exchange. "This is your last warning one more argument with a co-worker and your father is getting a phone call."

"O, daddy gonna be mad at you." One of the cooks teased. "Daddy won't give junior his trust fund back." They all laughed and Conner saw red.

He only had to last ten more days in this place and then he was home free. Trust fund restored, back at school, away from low lives that laughed at him, and parents that wanted to control him. Freedom, he could taste it.

"Sorry Mario. Won't happen again." Conner said trying to keep the edge out of his voice.

"Better not, because that record is getting old." Mario replied turning and going back to his office.

Conner gritted his teeth and went back to washing dishes.

------------------------------------

"Rhett I need a favor." Audrey said coming out to the pool where he and Tabitha were lounging. Tabitha took the cue to leave from Audrey's icy stare. She refused to warm up to the girl.

"What ever is it sister dear?" Rhett asked sipping on his Long Island Iced Tea.

"Loan me some money." She asked smiling sweetly. Rhett snorted at her attempt to be sweet. "My wardrobe is outdated and it needs a pick me up."

"I thought you had a trust fund for these petty expenses." Rhett replied.

"You know mother and father froze it after that damn car incident." Audrey replied waving her hand as if losing her trust fund was nothing. "Some kind of cruel and unusual punishment or something."

"Perhaps you should learn something from it." He suggested.

"Like what? That the city planner of Miami shouldn't have put so many windy roads in or that Jaguar should have built a better car?" She asked getting angry.

"No. Like maybe some things are your fault and not everyone else's." Rhett replied getting up to join Tabitha in the pool. "And the answer is no definitely not."

"Fuck you Rhett." Audrey replied and stormed off.

----------------------------------------------

Victoria was staring at the ceiling in her room when there was a soft rap on the door. She crossed her fingers that it wasn't Brock, returning to once again profess his undying love.

"Come in." She called and a smile spread across her face when Tabitha entered the room and softly closed the door behind her.

"Thought you might be lonely. What's on your mind?" Tabitha sat on the end of Victoria's bed and looked at her imploringly.

"Your brother." Victoria was surprised at her own honesty.

"Brock? or Conner?" Tabitha giggled knowing full well which one it was.

"Conner, of course." Victoria replied giggling. "The way he shoves his nose in the air is so hot." Tabitha laughed even harder.

"So, how are things with you and my darling older brother?" Victoria asked her as their laughter died down. "You two seem rather chummy." Tabitha blushed a deep crimson.

"Yeah, he's cool." Tabitha replied brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "We have a lot of fun together."

"I've never seen him like this before." Victoria told her. "Normally all he wants to do is love 'em and leave 'em. You must have put a spell on him or something." She teased her new friend.

"I slipped something into his food." Tabitha told her trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably as the giggles returned. "What's going on with you and Brock?"

"Nothing, I don't know." Victoria replied playing with her ponytail. "He told me he loved me." Tabitha gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh my gosh! What did you say?" She asked excitedly.

"I ran away and called my dad. I don't know what to say. We were like five when we started going out and I just feels like we're beating a dead horse sometimes." Victoria replied.

"Uncle Chuck is good with advice." Tabitha said thinking. "Brock's great you know and I think he was really hurt when you guys broke up." She paused. "I think he wants closure, you know."

Victoria nodded silently thinking about what Tabitha was saying. "So do I."

"Ball's in your court, doll." Tabitha told her rising to leave. "The truth will set you free." With that Tabitha left Victoria to her thoughts.

--------------------------------------------

"Brock." Victoria said entering the living room and sitting next to him on the couch. "I have something I need to say." He put down the video game controller and turned to her.

"Are you done being afraid?" He asked. "Afraid of us?"

"I've never been afraid of us." Victoria said Brock watched her face and she met his eyes willingly. They matched her mouth and he braced himself for what was coming next. "I love you Brock, I do." She took a deep breath and Brock held his.

"But." He knew her hesitation could not mean anything good.

"I'm not in love with you." She finished. "I love you like my mom loves your dad, friends. They used to go out and they still love each other but as friends." Brock smiled.

"Friends?" He asked teasingly.

"Friends." She replied and they smiled. "What are you playing?"

"Left 4 Dead."

"Can I?" Brock raised an eyebrow, he could not imagine the angelic Victoria Bass playing video games.

"Sure, but be warned I am pretty awesome at this." Brock told her handing her a controller.

"Well, I'm not too bad myself. Alex and I make it a point to play together at least twice a week you know."

"Alex's a traitor." Brock replied laughing at the idea of his cousin and Victoria playing games. Alex was his Uncle Eric's adopted son and he was only eight.

"No, just bored." She shrugged as the game began.

---------------------------

"Mom, I need your opinion on something." Rhett said.

"Of course sweetheart." Blair replied only half listening. Jenny had brought her the new designs and she was making some changes. As usual Little J was pushing the envelope just a little too far for Waldorf Designs.

"I want to get something for Tabitha and I can't decide. I need something perfect." Rhett told his mother who nearly spit out her coffee at the idea of her son buying a present for a girl.

"Tabitha Archibald?" Blair asked suddenly paying very close attention to their conversation.

"Yes, mom. We've been going out a lot and I really want to buy her something perfect." He replied. "I was thinking something from Tiffany's."

"Going out is that like on dates?" Blair was still confused. She loved her son dearly but he seemed to have inherited his father's desire to avoid any romantic involvement.

"Mother, can we stop with the questions. This is important." Rhett was getting irritated.

"Why don't you call your father?" Blair asked. "Maybe drop a few hints that my jewelry collection needs some new additions?"

"Mother seriously I am not doing your dirty work." Rhett said now throughly annoyed.

"Fine but you should call him. He's feeling lonely since you all left for the summer. Keeps saying that none of you have called him. You know he has impeccable taste." Blair smiled as she pictured Chuck all puffed up at dinner because Rhett had called him for gift advice.

"Fine, but don't tell him I called you first." Rhett replied, rolling his eyes. As usual always the ulterior motive with his parents. "Love you mom."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Love you too. Give your sisters a kiss from me. And keep an eye on Audrey." Blair hung up the phone and leaned back amazed.

Rhett dialed the special family only number for his father and waited for him to answer.

"Hello son. How's the weather in Miami?" Chuck answered smiling. Two phone calls in three days he was on a roll.

"Hot. Hey dad I need some advice on a gift."

"For who?" Chuck already knew the answer, he made it a point to pry. "A girl?"

Rhett rolled his eyes. "We both know that you already know." He replied and Chuck smiled the boy was sharp, perfect for the CEO of Bass Industries.

"Tabitha Archibald, huh? Nice girl."

"Dad we are not going to talk about this." Rhett told his father firmly. "I just need some direction on a good gift. I was thinking jewelry. Something classic but elegant." Chuck smiled, the boy had good taste.

"Tiffany's, of course. I suggest the floral key pendant from their knew key collection. Classy, elegant. She'll love it." Chuck told him.

"Oh and mom says her jewelry collection needs some new additions."

"I know already picked something up for her. Victoria cluster earrings. I thought it was an appropriate gift in honor of our youngest graduating." Chuck beamed with pride, Rhett just shook his head.

"She'll love them."

"I know. Tell your sisters I love them and good luck with Tabitha." Chuck told his only son. "Love you."

"Love you too Dad." Rhett hung up and moved to the display case containing the necklace. His father was right it was perfect.

----------------------------------------

Tabitha gasped as she stepped out onto the pool deck. Rhett had sprinkled rose petals all over the floor and there was a violinist in the background. There was small table set up in the corner by the grill and she could smell kabobs cooking on the grill. Rhett arrived behind her and offered her an arm.

"I sent everyone else out. Conner's at work, Brock and Victoria went out to some new club, and I hooked Audrey up with an out of work actor pretending to be a millionaire. So, we have the house to ourselves." He pulled out her chair for her and Tabitha sat.

"This is beautiful. Thank you." She said as a waiter poured them champagne. "You really didn't have to do this."

"I wanted to." He replied and she blushed. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you. It arrived today, a Waldorf original. Your doing I presume?" Rhett shook his head and made a mental note to thank his mother when he got home. She knew just what would look unbelievable on Tabitha.

"I got you something." He pulled the blue box from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Rhett, you didn't...I didn't...thank you." She smiled and felt her heart leap as she saw the beautiful diamond key. "Rhett, it's beautiful." She gently removed it from the box and fastened the clasp around her neck.

She looked at the beautiful gift and smiled. "Rhett Bass a romantic." Her stomach was doing flip flops and her heart was singing. She didn't think she could smile any wider. Everything was wonderful.

**Warning: Mature content ahead, read at your own risk. **

After dinner Rhett escorted Tabitha to her room. "Join me." She whispered and pulled him across the threshold. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She tasted like champagne and chocolate. He deepened the kiss sliding his tongue into her mouth and teasing hers. Tabitha moaned slightly and Rhett ran his hands along her waist.

They were moving backwards and when the back of legs hit the mattress they tumbled backwards. Rhett landed on top of her, he broke their kiss and looked into her deep blue eyes. They seemed darker suddenly and he softly traced the line of her jaw with soft kisses.

Tabitha pulled his shirt out of his pants and slid her hands to the buttons. In her haste she fumbled with them and finally in frustration she pulled the shirt open, sending buttons flying across the room. Rhett laughed and shrugged out of the now ruined shirt. Tabitha blushed before slowly tracing his nipples with her fingertips. Rhett traced the shell of her ear and she moaned.

His hands were sliding under her skirt and the anticipation was causing shivers up Tabitha's spine. She rose and slowly unzipped the dress. Letting it fall to reveal her black La Perla diamond collection lingerie set. It was see through except for dark fabric strips across her breasts and Rhett drew in a sharp breath.

"Thought you'd like it" She teased before climbing on top of him, straddling his hips between her thighs. She lowered her mouth to his nipple, slowly tracing it with her tongue. Rhett reached down to cup her breasts and run his finger across her hard nipples. She made her way down his body stopping at his pants, slowly unbuttoning them and pulling them off. His erection strained the fabric of his boxer briefs and Tabitha smirked naughtily before pulling those off too.

"It's not fair that I'm naked and you're still covered up." He told her before lifting the delicate lingerie top over her head. He marveled at her breasts before taking one nipple in his mouth and biting softly. She threw her head back and moaned. His hand snaked down between them until it reached the apex of the thighs. Her panties were nearly soaked and he slid his hand inside them.

He made soft circles around her clit as Tabitha nibbled his neck, stopping every so often to moan. He could barely control himself but he wanted to tease her a little. Rhett slid one finger inside her and Tabitha's hips bucked forward. He added another digit and she moved her hips in rhythm with his hand.

"Rhett." She whimpered into his ear.

"Yes, darling?" He asked smiling at her flushed cheeks and swollen lips.

"Fuck me already." he smirked at the dirty words coming from her pretty mouth.

He slowly slid is fingers out and removed her panties. She climbed over him, positioning the head of his cock at her entrance and teased him by slowly lowering and raising herself. He groaned in protest and she slowly slid down his length.

Rhett grabbed her ass as she rode him. Tabitha's head was thrown back and she was crying his name. He had never been so turned on. He could feel his release approaching and he flipped them over so she was beneath him. He pounded into her and slid his hand between them. His thumb made slow circles on her clit and she cried his name as her walls began to clench around him. With one final thrust he fell over the cliff right behind her.

Afterwards they snuggled together. Tabitha's head was resting on Rhett's chest and his arm was around her shoulders protectively.

He watched her as she drifted off to sleep. He didn't think he had ever seen anything so beautiful. As his eyes slowly closed all he could see was Tabitha.

--------------------------------

A/N: The key necklace Rhett gave Tabitha can be found on the Tiffany's website it is gorgeous and I want one so bad!


	7. Good byes

The summer had come to an end. In two weeks school would start and their parents would be empty nesters. Conner quickly packed his suitcases and watched out the window for his taxi.

The summer had begun hopeful, he was going to finally win the heart of Audrey Bass. Instead his new car had been wrecked, he'd had to work in some dive bar, and his trust fund was frozen. Worst summer of his life. He was going straight from the airport back to school. Conner had no desire to speak to either of his parents he wanted to go back where he was idolized. A basketball star and big man on campus.

The taxi pulled up out front and Conner made his way downstairs everyone was waiting to say their good byes.

"Rhett." Conner said and the two boys shook hands, awkwardly. He gave Victoria a one armed hug and Audrey a soft kiss on the cheek. She barely looked at him.

Tabitha threw her arms around him. "I love you big brother. Come visit me soon, okay?" She tilted her head to the side sweetly and he kissed her cheek.

"Sure, whatever." He still had no idea how much Tabitha looked up to him. He and Brock nodded at one another and Conner left. Sliding into the taxi and looking with disdain at the house. He was glad that the summer was over.

---------------------------------

The three Bass children were flying home together Chuck had sent the jet for them. He said he wanted the entire family together one last time before Victoria went away to Dartmouth and the twins returned to school. He had told them it was non-negotiable.

Audrey gave Brock and Tabitha a terse nod of good bye before entering the limo. She was in no mood for her parents much less a family gathering. She planned to make a scene and then disappear early.

Victoria and Tabitha hugged each other and Tabitha told Victoria she'd come see her in a month or so when she went to visit Brock. The girls parted merrily, friendship intact.

"So, friends?" Victoria asked her ex-boyfriend as he walked her bags to the limo.

"Friends forever. I've got a BFF charm for you." He teased her and she hugged him tight.

"Call me the minute you get to campus. I won't know anyone else and we can learn the ropes together." She promised slipping into the limo next to her sister.

"I will I promise. Give Uncle Chuck and Aunt Blair a kiss for me." Brock waved as he went back into the house.

------------------------

Tabitha was in her room packing when Rhett knocked on the door he was nervously pulling at his shorts and the bottom of his polo.

"Hi." She said looking up and smiling softly.

"Hey, um...look I just wanted to say." He started but suddenly his mouth was very dry and he couldn't get the words out.

"Yeah, I know. It was a summer fling. We had fun but the summer's over and the real world starts. I get it." Tabitha said quickly, kissing him on the cheek. "Have a good flight."

Rhett was stunned he was going to tell her he liked her wanted to try things long distance, say he would move to California with her. This was about the last thing he wanted.

"Um...well okay then. Bye, good luck at school." He exited, sighing.

Tabitha watched him go and tears started to slide down her cheeks. She ran to the window, watching Rhett's dark head slide into the limo and then drive off.

"Tabs, what's wrong?" Brock asked entering her room moments later.

"I was too scared so I told Rhett I thought it was a summer fling." Tabitha said sobbing. "I didn't know what else to do. My head is screaming at me to run."

"Ah, Tabs." Brock pulled her to his chest as she sobbed.

Rhett sat in the limo stiff straight. Willing himself not to call her, text her, Facebook message her, nothing. If Tabitha wanted to keep their relationship in the summer then that was where it would stay case closed.

"Did your little pixie break up with you or something?" Audrey asked him. He turned the full anger of his glare on her.

"Shut the fuck up Audrey. Why don't you go marry so prince of something and rot away in Europe for all I care. You just want money anyways." She looked at him stunned, never had he spoken that way to her.

"Rhett, I..."

"I don't want to hear it. If you were a half way decent person you would just shut up and leave me alone. Call Tony Sparks and tell him your sob story because I couldn't care less." Victoria looked between the two wide eyed, she'd never heard Rhett talk to Audrey this way.

"Fuck you, Rhett. What were you going to do marry her? She's not even pretty you'd be bored within a month." Audrey shot back.

"Shut up! She's ten times prettier then you'll ever be. Besides last time I checked you'd slept with every eligible bachelor in Manhattan and I don't hear them calling you back. Guess you're not such a catch either. Even with Dad's millions."

"Guys! Stop! Can we just ride home in silence please?" Victoria asked throwing her hands up.

The twins agreed silently and glared at one another across the limo as they rode towards the airport.


	8. Endings and New Beginnings

_Five years later_

It was the first time that the Bass and Archibald families had been together in five years. College, retirements, new businesses and basketball contracts meant that there was never a time when all ten of them could be together. This was a special occasion and they had all vowed not to miss it.

The infamous Audrey Bass was set to marry the poor poet Ernest Humphrey. It was a shotgun wedding since the bride was three months pregnant and her mother thought marriage to a Humphrey would be just deserts for an ungrateful daughter.

Audrey had spent the last five years husband hunting to no avail. Everyone on the Upper East Side knew of her quest and like Georgina Sparks before her no one wanted her. Tony Sparks had even rejected her. So she had meant the quiet poet one night at her grandmother's party and the rest was history.

Serena and Nate had laughed endlessly at the idea of Blair and Chuck sharing a grandchild with non-other then Dan Humphrey. The Basses were not amused in the least.

Conner arrived first with his new "trophy" on his arm. She was buxom and Italian. He had been given a small contract to play in Italy after the NBA passed on him. He was earning a paltry salary to be a benchwarmer but having left Stanford early thinking he was shoe in for the draft he had no other options. The girlfriend spoke no English but she made heads turn and that's all he cared about.

Victoria arrived on Brock's arm. She was the newly minted head of Waldorf Designs after her mother's early retirement. Her designs were causing a sensation not even her grandmother would have believed. She had worn one of her own creations to the wedding and had already been asked by five people where they could get one.

Brock was finishing his first year at Dartmouth Law School. He and Victoria had been back together for a little over two years. Both had found that being friends was not enough.

In the kitchen of the hotel Tabitha was wearing an apron over her dress. She was the most popular up-and-coming caterer in New York City. Thanks in large part to her aunt and grandmother. The finishing touches were being put on the dinner menu before the ceremony started.

A dark haired man stood in the doorway watching her. Her hair was longer then he remembered and the dress she was wearing brought out her eyes. The necklace around her neck was one he recognized. A diamond encrusted key, a present from someone special.

She looked up at the man and smiled. Slipping off her apron and moving to greet him.

"Rhett." It was the first time they'd seen each other in five long years. The room practically sizzled with electricity.

"Tabitha, I've missed you."

"I'm sorry about that summer. It was magical and I wanted it to last forever but I got scared." No point in lying after five years. Five wasted years.

"Me too and then I was angry. That's why I didn't call."

"I hear you're the new head of Bass Industries. Uncle Chuck's retiring."

"If you can call him being in the office an hour later in the morning retiring." Rhett replied. Chuck was having a hard time letting go of his company but Blair had gotten him to agree to a month long tour of Europe and Asia hoping that would make it easier.

"You look good." Tabitha told him blushing.

"You look ravishing." With that he kissed her, he'd been waiting to kiss her for so long. It had been five years of anger, waiting, hoping, and pride that had kept them apart.

"Go out with me tomorrow?" He asked pulling away from her lips for just a moment.

"I thought you'd never ask." Tabitha captured her mouth with his once again.

_Thirty minutes later_

The ceremony was set to begin and Blair was searching for her son. His inability to be on time was a constant source of annoyance to her.

"Where is your son?" She hissed to her husband.

"Why is he my son when he's late?" Chuck hissed back.

"There they are." Serena said excitedly gesturing to a rather disheveled Rhett and Tabitha. "Oh Blair look! They were off somewhere hooking up!" Blair tried to be appalled but she was giddy. Her son and Serena's daughter together! The wedding was already being planned in her and Rhett slid in next to their parents. Nate and Chuck shared a look before chuckling. Serena squeed in Nate's ear while Blair squeezed Chuck's hand.

The wedding march began and Rhett slipped Tabitha's hand into his.


End file.
